Nesbitt, from Chapman High School, suffered a severe fracture of his ankle when he came down on the foot of a teammate. SMC had won its opening game. Without him, the Pioneers lost two straight, dropping into the consolation round and then out.

“It was real hard to take,” Nesbitt said. “I knew I could have made a difference in both of those games. They were so close.”

SMC made it back to the junior college championship event and will play at 1 p.m. (EDT) Wednesday against Kilgore (Texas) College. Nesbitt is perhaps more thankful than any of the other Pioneers for the return trip to Hutchinson.

“It's the best feeling,” he said.

“To be able to here get two years in a row means a lot to all of us, especially Jalen,” SMC head coach Jeff Brookman said. “You never know if you can get back. There are only four teams out here that played in it last year. Fortunately, we've had a good season and we're here.”

Spartanburg Methodist made it back this time as one of the favorites. The Pioneers, ranked No. 1 in the country with the only undefeated record (32-0), are seeded No. 2 behind only Iowa Western (32-2), which on Tuesday slipped past No. 16 seed North Platte (Neb.), 79-74.

“I think we have a good chance of winning this year,” Nesbitt said. “Our team chemistry is so good and we feel like we're really prepared.”

Nesbitt (6-foot-4, 180 pounds) was first-team All-Region 10 this season and the league's defensive player of the year. He's also averaging 13.9 points (tied for SMC lead with Ronell Crockett), a team-high 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. On the day the Pioneers officially vaulted into the top spot in the nation, Nesbitt carried his team to an overtime victory at USC Salkehatchie with an electrifying 31 points and 17 rebounds.

Even as a freshman, Nesbitt was one of SMC's best players. He helped the Pioneers win that opening game of the NJCAA tournament, 61-58, against Three Rivers (Mo.) College.

“Jalen had a very good first game,” Brookman said. “He was playing really well.”

But in the opening minutes of the second game against Eastern Oklahoma State, he landed on the large foot of 6-foot-9 former teammate Terrell Magazine.

“That was it. I was done,” Nesbitt said. “They taped it up real good, but I couldn't even walk.”

SMC lost, 78-70, to Eastern Oklahoma State and then 67-61 to Monroe College from New York City.

“Out here, you need as many rebounders as you can get,” Brookman said. “We're not the biggest team. Jalen gives us a lot of length and athleticism. Not having him really hurt us.”

It was months before Nesbitt could even entertain thoughts of getting back on the court.

“At the time, I didn't think I was going to play this year. It was a bad fracture,” he said. “By the end of the school year, I could walk on it a little bit. I thought if nothing extreme happened, I would be OK by the start of the season. It made me work hard all summer. I got in the weight room and I tried to get better. I knew we had a great chance to get back to Hutch.”

<p>HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Jalen Nesbitt of Spartanburg Methodist went up for a rebound during last year's NJCAA tournament and after he landed, he wondered if he would ever land here again.</p><p>Nesbitt, from Chapman High School, suffered a severe fracture of his ankle when he came down on the foot of a teammate. SMC had won its opening game. Without him, the Pioneers lost two straight, dropping into the consolation round and then out.</p><p>“It was real hard to take,” Nesbitt said. “I knew I could have made a difference in both of those games. They were so close.”</p><p>SMC made it back to the junior college championship event and will play at 1 p.m. (EDT) Wednesday against Kilgore (Texas) College. Nesbitt is perhaps more thankful than any of the other Pioneers for the return trip to Hutchinson.</p><p>“It's the best feeling,” he said.</p><p>“To be able to here get two years in a row means a lot to all of us, especially Jalen,” SMC head coach Jeff Brookman said. “You never know if you can get back. There are only four teams out here that played in it last year. Fortunately, we've had a good season and we're here.”</p><p>Spartanburg Methodist made it back this time as one of the favorites. The Pioneers, ranked No. 1 in the country with the only undefeated record (32-0), are seeded No. 2 behind only Iowa Western (32-2), which on Tuesday slipped past No. 16 seed North Platte (Neb.), 79-74.</p><p>“I think we have a good chance of winning this year,” Nesbitt said. “Our team chemistry is so good and we feel like we're really prepared.”</p><p>Nesbitt (6-foot-4, 180 pounds) was first-team All-Region 10 this season and the league's defensive player of the year. He's also averaging 13.9 points (tied for SMC lead with Ronell Crockett), a team-high 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. On the day the Pioneers officially vaulted into the top spot in the nation, Nesbitt carried his team to an overtime victory at USC Salkehatchie with an electrifying 31 points and 17 rebounds.</p><p>Even as a freshman, Nesbitt was one of SMC's best players. He helped the Pioneers win that opening game of the NJCAA tournament, 61-58, against Three Rivers (Mo.) College.</p><p>“Jalen had a very good first game,” Brookman said. “He was playing really well.”</p><p>But in the opening minutes of the second game against Eastern Oklahoma State, he landed on the large foot of 6-foot-9 former teammate Terrell Magazine. </p><p>“That was it. I was done,” Nesbitt said. “They taped it up real good, but I couldn't even walk.”</p><p>SMC lost, 78-70, to Eastern Oklahoma State and then 67-61 to Monroe College from New York City.</p><p>“Out here, you need as many rebounders as you can get,” Brookman said. “We're not the biggest team. Jalen gives us a lot of length and athleticism. Not having him really hurt us.”</p><p>It was months before Nesbitt could even entertain thoughts of getting back on the court.</p><p>“At the time, I didn't think I was going to play this year. It was a bad fracture,” he said. “By the end of the school year, I could walk on it a little bit. I thought if nothing extreme happened, I would be OK by the start of the season. It made me work hard all summer. I got in the weight room and I tried to get better. I knew we had a great chance to get back to Hutch.”</p>